New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1887-10-26
"A Female Switch Tender.

Ghicago Tribu ue.
Milwaukee has a curious figure in
the person ot @ female .tswitchman."
Her naHae is Switch ANNIE and
she is In the employ OF the Chicago,
milwaukee, and St. Paul company.
She has the honor OF being the only
female exponent OF the art OF throw
ing switches" IA the country.
The work IS masculine, but the
worlser is feminine from the sole OF her
sensible waking-shoe to the top OF
her shapely head, possessed OF the
beauty Of an, English dairymaid and
the lnuscie Of a blacksmith.
Ehe eleven switches which she looks
after are outnear the stock-y ards, and
ssnca1life the most important points in
she yards. They were formerly in
charge Of the girls father, Joseph
Grautner. Fer years Annie was his
assistant, helpmg him almost from
Che time she was large enough to
throw the switch-iever. Then she was
advanced to regular assistant The
Old man was easily ratified but An.
k1le never. Her GOODNESS and dexterity
have saved NANNY loss to the COM
ipany while for heRself she was never
kno wn to make mistake that in
viewed the loss Of dollar to the COM
.pany,
Although Annie has been "throwing
switches for ever twelve years her
peculiar history has been hidden un-
der the bushel OF her isolated station.
OF the thousands OF people who used
sepery year to pass her brown switch
sfshanty, not one was aware that it hid
"a curious history.
When applied for information at
the general Offices ia regard to Annie,
4 was referred to the yardmaster, III.
IS. Teall. found him in his Office on
the second floor Of dingy and histor-
dc brick pile down in the yards" NV
request brought a smile.
2tYou want to know about Annie?"
said the rugged yardmaster, as he
swung himself around so as to keep in
view the @lstening tracks and moving
x5anorama OF putting engines shifting
Grains that kept weaving the trans
5portation threads III the patchwork
sof commerce as we talked.
Well, she's q character You must
20 out and see her. She'll talk to
you. Isn't afraid OF any body."
How long has she been on the
seoad2"
Ever since she was d child. Her
father was with the company twenty
years. fIe only had one leg, and was
fatheT slow getting about. He was
all right so long as he had only enc or
Two switches, but when business in
sreased and more were put in he had
ito have assist ance. Then Annie
soanae IN. She was a little
sashing at that time, but she was
spry, and the way she would
get back and forth between those
switches was surprising. After a while
she was put on regularly as an assist
ssatlt to her father. When he was
assilaed last winter she was given his
place and now supports the family.
Yhey live back of the switch shanty
In a.house furnished rent-free by the
company"
"HoW does her work compare with
sthat 9f other sw1tchmen?"
4
man in my employ, and we have two
hundred men in the yard. She never
lost a dollar for the company, and
shat is more than can say OF any
man in the yard. She rarely makes a
mistake, and when she does it is al
ways through asignal carelesslv given.
Yhere is one thing about Annie, re-
snlarkable in a woman; she don't seem
100 know Wha6 fear Isl. At the time OF
Che riots last year that Polish mob,
safter cleaning cut the shops. came
down through the yards, cleaning
.cnt every one in their way. Annie
sHas on duty at the time, and was the
only enlploye who was not driven
from work. All the rest Of the men
ran away and then came back after
the mob passed. But Annie staid by
her switches. When the mob reached
her one big Pole grabbed her by the
.arm, saying: Get out OF here; go
home. you can't work no moren Be
tore the words were out OF his mouth
aAAaie hauled Oft and gave him slap
that sent him spinning. Her pluck
raised a laugh, and she was not mo-
Tested further. The big fellow was
satisfied to llaix up with the crowd and
saet out OF sight. Without a word
more Annie then went right through
She crowd to set a switch for a train
t6hat was coming out. The gang
passed on and the girl was LETT alone.
she's q good one, and no mistake. s
How is she regarded among the
Yartlmenl" Ss
81 hey think the world Of Annie.
They would fight for her in 9 minute,
sNsnecessary !" q.
EDO not complaints come in occa-
ssiolaAy2'
II never had but one complaint
from Annie in the whole twelve years
she has been throwing switches. Once
she was gwen signal imper fectly. and